Miss Tourism: All we get are sashes

On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, regional Miss Tourism queens entered a residential camp at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).

The queens, representing 12 regions from across the country, are preparing for the Miss Tourism Grand Finale due September 9, 2023 at Kampala Serena Hotel where one of them will replace 20-year-old Sydney Nabulya.

Although most are eager to become the next Miss Tourism Uganda (MTU), some entered camp sceptical following the decrowning and eventual dismissal of last year’s second runners up Denise Ayebare.

Ayebare is the former Miss Tourism Kigezi.

According to a letter dated July 31, 2023 to Ms Ayebare – signed by management - the cancellation was based on grounds of absentia in all the pageantry activities which led to breaching the contract agreement.

“Under Clause 1 of the agreement, you undertook to be readily available and willing to offer your services and presence in any functions, events, public appearances and other promotional activities requested by MTU,” the letter which was circulated on social media, reads in part.

“Following our notice of the breach on 5th January 2023, we have hardly seen your involvement in Miss Tourism activities, despite several verbal invitations to do so, which contravenes contract clause 1 of the contestant’s agreement.”

Also, the letter alleges that the project manager had reported that Ms Ayebare no longer had interest in the activities of Miss Tourism.

It is understood that upon being crowned Miss Tourism, the queens are mandated to execute duties that are strictly commissioned by the pageant.

Ayebare says she did receive the letter and ‘actually responded via email.’

“And I accepted because it is true I have shown no interest in participating in any of the activities because it’s justified to pursue personal development.”

The second year law student says: “After being crowned second runners up on September 22, 2022, I had a flight to Tunisia the next day and I clearly told them I cannot participate in the media tours lined up.”

When she returned from Tunisia, there were contestations about who should represent Uganda in Miss Tourism World in Vietnam. The finals were held between November 21 and December 6.

“I turned it down because I was to attend COP27 in Egypt,” Ayebare, a climate activist, says.

But it all comes down to incentives.

“Honestly, being a queen is very expensive in terms of costs (heels, bags, dresses, make-up and hair). We have previously told the organisers that most of these girls are either at campus or just left high school they need some sort of incentive to work and not mere contracts,” she says.  “You cannot be at campus or have other responsibilities and make a trade off to go for a trip and do marketing and you cannot get enough to even buy you a meal.”

Infact, some regional beauty queens have opted out of this year’s event, citing lack of money – about Shs7million each - to buy requirements needed for bootcamp.

According to the letter to Ayebare, which the Miss Tourism CEO Ayishah Nagudi claimed was a surprise even to her, Ayebare was instructed to return all prizes, gifts, and monetary awards granted to her within a period of seven days from delivery of this letter.”

“I think it’s quite unreasonable to say there were any monetary rewards because all I got was a sash, a crown and bedsheets,” Ayebare says.

Each of last year’s finalists received a Cafe Javas pack with sweets, sanitizer, mask and African puff holder while the first runners up was gifted a duvet, crown and sash.

A source close to Nabulya explained that the reigning Miss Tourism did not receive anything that worthy of a queen, apart from a laptop and puff holder.

She was, however, promised a couple of things on the side-lines of the crowing event which have never been delivered.

It is understood that this week, Nabulya had a meeting with the pageants’ patron, Marrianne Mutagamba to iron out a couple of differences lest she throws in the towel almost three weeks to the end of her reign.

CEO speaks out

According to Nagudi, who recently was appointed CEO of the pageant, the letter to Ayebare was supposed to be confidential ‘without the line of returning gifts’.

“We are meant to rephrase the letter and I believe that’s not good at all. I am still in shock.  I just saw it on social media,” she said.

She added: “At times I see decisions being made (without me) and I am like ‘Okay!’... nevertheless I pray for a successful September 9.”

Nagudi, the 2012 -13 Miss Tourism winner, understands that a couple of things have not been going right but she promises better going forward.

Previous crises

Several former beauty queens have since, in anonymity, come out to say the prizes promised never materialized, with most, at most, receiving hair extensions and sometimes sub woofers despite all the money they incur ahead of the finals.

But the most notable ones have been Phiona Kyeru and Margret Kankwanzi.

In 2020, the then reigning Miss Tourism Kyeru alleged that she was told she would lose her title for demanding her car prize.

The threat is said to have come from Allan Kanyike Bwete, the then chief executive officer of Miss Tourism Uganda.

Then, Kyeru said Mr. Kanyike possessed the car but had failed to surrender it.

A year earlier, Miss Tourism winner Kankwanzi was also tossed about as she sought to get her prize, a piece of land reportedly bought in Kisoro District where she hails from.

Still, it was Kanyike at the centre of the chaos.

According to Kankwazi, she engaged organisers for a month and they kept skirting around the issue.

“Whenever I held interviews with the media, I was asked never to talk about the prize issue because it would get the pageant’s image tarnished,” she told this paper.

However, Kanyike would then advise that she settles for a car since the land wasn’t achievable.

The land, he said, was promised by someone not part of the organisers while the car was to be delivered by a cosmetics company.

Following the public outcry, Kyeru received her car prize which had already been used and so was Kankwanzi who later got her land title.

Issues of kickback

In May, hundreds of Ugandans took part in the Explore West campaign. This was the followed the #ExploreElgon tour and was closely followed by the #ExploreNorth show.

The campaigns were aimed at showcasing Uganda’s beauty and were headlined by Junior Tourism Minister Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka.  All campaigns have seen Miss Tourism queens grace them as part of their contracts.

During #ExploreWest, queens from Ankole, Buganda, Kasese, Tooro and Bunyoro as well as Nabulya were faces of the campaign alongside influencers Salvador, Moses Golola and Dance Mamweta.

After the campaign, one of the queens reached out to this paper and claimed they were made to sign for money they did not receive.

“Imagine we were told we would receive more than Sh500,000 for all the days we explored Mbarara, Kasese through to Fort Portal. When the sign sheets arrived, our handler, who before setting off, told us we were at his mercy, said we append our signatures to Sh500,000 but give him Sh300,000. We took home Sh200,000 each. Imagine!” the queen said.

Also, most did not have decent accommodation and had to rely on the goodwill of other travelers, something that put their lives in danger and the face of a pageant in disrepute.

This was the same way they were treated during the other campaigns, we have learnt.

Asked whether she believed the pageant, now in its 13th campaign after a 10 year hiatus, is a scam, Ayebare says ‘it feels exploitative of young girls’ time and talents’.

“It should be more self-developmental. The argument here cannot be, ‘your confidence and self-esteem will be elevated because before girls decide to venture for this, they already have these’,” she says.

Unproductive Queens

Every campaign sees the first three queens signing contracts to execute duties that are strictly commissioned by the pageant organisers.

But, according to a former queen who spoke to this paper under anonymity, beauty queens find it hard to engage in productive activities since they have an obligation to engage in activities commissioned by Miss Tourism Management.

“It is hard to think for yourself. All they do is keep engaging you in their own programmes. I attempted to advocate for teenage mothers but my dream was made impossible by the busy schedule of the pageant,” she reveals.

She also shares that the queens are pushed to attend tea parties and endless tourism activities making it hard for them to create projects that can benefit the society.

“Actually, those who never win have been productive. Look at Enid Mirembe of Rolex Initiative!” she shoots.

Uganda Tourism Board CEO Lilly Ajarova has previously distanced the board from Miss Tourism Uganda but also she acknowledged it was a great initiative.

“Miss Tourism Beauty Pageant is a private initiative organized by Miss Tourism Foundation, which is a private entity,” she says.

On the other hand, Nagudi says she is working with the team to make changes and hopes her term as CEO is not as tainted as the ones before her.

NATIONAL BOOT CAMP- MISS TOURISM UGANDA 2023 REQUIREMENTS

Two evening gowns-

floor length (One African gown and one European gown)

National costume.

At least 3 pairs of high heels (black, silver and gold. Peep toes or closed high neat heels)

A gift properly wrapped to be given out during the exchange of gifts among contestants. Please note that the gift shouldn’t be less than Shs10,000.

Talent costume alongside your talent music if you are dancing or singing, instrument if you are playing an instrument plus any necessary prop, you will be using for your talent.

Cultural wear based from your region.

One cultural outfit to be used in dances of uganda (must be an outfit from your respective region that they use during traditional dances)

At least three night wear dresses.

Enough sanitary towels/ toothpaste/ toothbrushes/ shavers/ bathing soap/ body lotions/ deodorants

At least four  pairs of skinny jeans (black and navy blue)

Enough tops and vests

A pair of swim wear (plain black, yellow or red) / beach hats/ sunglasses

At least five decent cocktail dresses

A black business suit

At least three pairs of shorts.

One pair of sports wear kits (sportswear and shoes to be used during the morning fitness classes)

Sports shoes (sneakers or converses)

Earrings (chandeliers, studs, hoops, danglers)

Jewellery

Enough underwear. (Please note that a black strapless bra and black panty is a must for all contestants)

 All contestants with any illnesses or allergies please ensure to carry your medicine when reporting to camp.

Note books and enough pens.

A small makeup kit.

Jackets/ sweaters/ scarfs

Sandals

Noteless waist length plaited hair

 Presentation outfit according to your project.

Note:

Every contestant is required to purchase a branded miss tourism uganda hooded jumper at Shs65,000.